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About this project

What is Nerd vs. Geek?

It’s the eternal question: do you consider yourself a nerd? Or a geek? Or neither? Which is better, playing as a dinosaur in a video game, or going to a real-life museum to walk amongst their remains? Each of the characters in this upcoming web series struggles with these same questions, as they try to balance their love of all things intellectual and creative with their attempts to fit into a society that treats blue-painted sports fans as gods amongst men, but anime cosplayers as worthy of ridicule.

"The real purpose of this series is NOT to stereotype or sensationalize 'nerds & geeks', but to show the often unseen inner struggles of intelligent introverts," says Matt Conant, the project’s writer and director.

Also, it’s an ensemble comedy. 3 awkward social circles - a Mensa chapter, a gaming group & a theater company - merge after their leaders become Craigslist roommates.Think Big Bang Theory or Community, with some OverAnalyzers thrown in. There is not enough clever and intelligent comedy in the world of cat videos known as the internet, and Cinevore’s goal is to change that. With your help, of course.

This series will touch on every aspect of nerd/geek culture, including video games, comic books, math, science (fact and fiction), cartoons, board games, card games, theater, TV, and movies. It is a fiction steeped in the often true, even-more-often-sad actual lives of our two head writers, who also play principal characters.

Why we need the money:

Filmmaking at any scale is costly. Our current plan is to produce 12 episodes of 3-8 minutes each, for a total of around 60 minutes of content (see our budget breakdown in the FAQ.) We will also be shooting behind-the-scenes footage and inevitably capturing bloopers, and including all of them on the DVD we produce at season’s end.

We have much of our budget already covered through creative bartering with the talent, crew, and locations. This campaign is simply to help cover those costs that we can’t avoid - equipment rental so you can actually see and hear us, location rentals so you’re not bored to death of Matt’s basement, even providing food and gas money for the cast and crew for our days on set. Also, occasional additional props, costumes, etc. and all of those cool perks you get to receive (including some of the weird ones, which we mostly threw in for giggles and/or for people as odd as us).

Luckily, we're offering some awesome perks to become a Backer, such as....:

The Company

Cinevore has produced a number of high-profile projects, including the parody music video Piece of Meat, which was featured on the front page of both College Humor, and YouTube’s Comedy channel, and now boasts over 500,000 views on YouTube alone. Our most recent project was the web series OverAnalyzers, featuring James Rolfe (aka "The Angry Video Game Nerd") of Cinemassacre, which follows a team of quack scientists that try to decipher the epic mysteries of pop culture, like where the Ninja Turtles get the money for all those pizzas, or the gruesome details behind how Data from Star Trek has sex.

Cinevore is also a part of the Kick It Forward Movement. After funding is complete, expenses are paid and perks are delivered, 5% of any profits generated from Kickstarter-funded projects (like Nerd vs. Geek!) will be donated directly back to other KickStarter projects. To be abundantly clear, these are not re-disbursements of Kickstarter funds - Kick It Forward is about investing any profits projects made outside of Kickstarter, for instance, through merchandise/DVD sale, etc. Read more about the Kick It Forward pledge here.

The Crew

More cast & crew to be unlocked as we get closer to our goal!

The production team includes many of the same favorite behind-the-scenes folks, including Matt Conant (Writer/Director), Stephanie Yuhas (Writer/Producer), Michael Licisyn (Director of Photography), Caroline Boyd (script supervisor), Chris Barley (graphics), but we will need to add additional crew members for lighting, audio, special effects, costumes, music, and hair/makeup (gasp! A first!)

The Cast

As this project progresses, we will continue to reveal our cast of characters.

6/19/12 Since we hite $2500 by 5 pm, we unlocked all principal cast early!

Check out the Updates tab on top for bigger pictures & character descriptions!

If you become a Backer (even at $1), you will receive automatic updates about our progress and see more unlocked characters, stories & more!

Who's the man behind the mask? Find out at $2500! (PS: That's Steph in the Bender)

THANK YOU!

This series is one that we are all extremely excited about creating and that we all believe strongly in. Any support, whether it is a pledge or a reposting of this page to others who might become fans or supporters, is very important and meaningful to us.

We found all of our principal cast through an extensive search through the Project Twenty1 community many months ago. If you'd still like to cameo or having a speaking role, you can be featured & help make sure this show happen by selecting one of our acting tiers on the right.

James is our friend and one of our production partners, and we try to help each other out as much as we can. We timed this series to coincide with his editing of "Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie" so we could be shooting a new series while he is busy screaming at the render bar on his computer.

We do not have this project featured on Cinemassacre because it is exclusively a Cinevore production, and we did not want to confuse/upset any fans that generously backed his Movie project. As for the questions about whether or not he is making a cameo, that will be revealed as we reach fundraising tiers and unlock character blocks.

Also, because we've been getting this question a lot, "no", Stephanie is not James's wife. That would be the fantastic Mrs. Nerd, and you can find out more about her on http://Cinemassacre.com.

Production Budget: $12,000, approx. $1,000 per episode "flexi-budget." Each episode will have minor equipment & location rentals, minor costumes/props, healthy food for on set, and a $100 stipend for each cast & crew member to help pay for gas and parking, which we have insisted on budgeting for, since almost everyone is doing this as a passion/volunteer project.

If we exceed this budget or find some sort of corporate backing, we will be able to rent slow-motion cameras and an EPIC location for the season ender. And of course, we will be able to fly people for internet celebrity cameos.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $10 or more
About $10

PAL: A Special Thanks on the Nerd Vs. Geek project page on Cinevore.com, PLUS a personalized Facebook and Tweet thank you! You will also get an exclusive first look at the first episode before it goes live online.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $25 or more
About $25

FRIEND: All of the above, PLUS a DVD of Season 1 upon completion - all the episodes, bloopers, behind-the-scenes, and other bonus features created during the season. PLUS a digital download link containing our 5 nerdy/geeky title cards for use as desktop wallpaper, facebook cover photo, or whatever you want, really.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $50 or more
About $50

SUPPORTER: All of the above, PLUS a physical copy of a single title card from the show also signed by principal cast (we will pick one at random). PLUS advanced access to every episode of season one of Nerd vs. Geek before it goes live, including Behind-the-Scenes releases. You'll receive an email from us with an exclusive link to our footage hot off the editing presses.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $250 or more
About $250

THE COLLECTOR: All of the above, PLUS a signed copy of the complete season of scripts from the principal cast & writers, PLUS the complete set of all 5 physical title cards used in the show, PLUS to prove that we are actually nerds/geeks, we will provide you with 4 digital childhood pictures of select cast members that you may use for your amusement/blackmail as you wish.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $500 or more
About $500

VIP: All of the above, PLUS we will work your likeness into an episode based on a truthful picture and/or name you provide us, PLUS you'll receive a 20"x30" poster signed by the cast & crew, PLUS, you will be invited to an exclusive backers-only VIP screening of the entire Season 1 upon completion, with filmmaker/cast Q&A, and a party in the Philadelphia area (airfare and accommodations not included).

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $500 or more
About $500

PRODUCT PLACEMENT (Exclusive tier - NOT included in any other tiers/does NOT include other perks). We will strategically place your product in one episode or put a "sponsored by" credit in the episode - whichever you prefer, as long as it does not impede story flow. Please contact stephanie@cinevore.com before pledging so we can make sure we're on the same page.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $1,000 or more
About $1,000

BEHIND-THE-SCENES: All of the above, PLUS, you can be on set during a day of filming of NvG! You will leave set with a producer-selected prop to take with you, and you will get your photo taken with all cast/crew on set that day. This also means you will appear on the Season 1 DVD behind-the-scenes! (airfare and accommodations not included but we can pick you up in Philadelphia the day of the shoot and bring you to set if needed.)

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $1,000 or more
About $1,000

T-SHIRT SPONSOR (Exclusive tier - NOT included in any other tiers/does NOT include other perks). One of the main characters (you can choose which one) will wear your brand's T-shirt in an episode (as long as it is not offensive). Please contact stephanie@cinevore.com before pledging so we can make sure we're on the same page.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $1,000 or more
About $1,000

DINNER WITH GREGG. Enjoy an unbelievably weird & wonderful dinner with Robb Stech. "They can either choose a really cheap restaurant where I will get overdressed - tux, top hat, etc., or they can pick a fancy place and I'll come really, really underdressed. Maybe swim trunks and an 80's T-shirt? We'll see." Dinner can be within 25 miles of the greater Philadelphia area.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $1,475 or more
About $1,475

THE FEE MASTER: (exclusive,one-of-a-kind perk not included in any other tiers!)
This the amount of KickStarter & Amazon fees we will accrue (approximately). We are happy to pay them because this is a FANTASTIC platform, but we also want to do something special for the person that helps us cover them. You will receive all of the previous tiers' perks, PLUS a one-of-a-kind FEE MASTER Official NVG Backer T-shirt PLUS Matt will dress up like Vinz Clortho, Keymaster of Gozer, and thank you for being the Feemaster. We can't promise it will be an accurate impression at all, but it will be unique..and a little sad.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $2,500 or more
About $2,500

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER/FEATURED EXTRA: All of the previous tiers' perks, PLUS A) credit in the show & on IMDB as an Associate Producer of Season 1, or B) You may appear as a walk-on character in the series (airfare and accommodations not included but we can pick you up in Philadelphia the day of the shoot and bring you to set if needed). PLUS, you will receive a personalized video of Matt singing a pop song with your name in it while wearing a Bender from Futurama costume and dancing sensually. We do not guarantee that the singing or the sensual dancing will be any good, but it will be unique.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $5,000 or more
About $5,000

CO-PRODUCER/CO-STAR: All of the previous tiers' perks PLUS either A) an upgraded Credit in the show & on IMDB as a Co-Producer of Season 1, or B) You may appear with a small speaking role in the series. (airfare and accommodations not included but we can pick you up in Philadelphia the day of the shoot and bring you to set if needed.)

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $10,000
About $10,000

THE BULLY: (exclusive,one-of-a-kind perk not included in any other tiers!)

We know we’re annoying. For this level, you alone may express your annoyance creatively and slap either Matt or Steph with a raw dead fish of your choosing. It can be any fish that doesn’t have a stabbing ability/isn’t over like..what, 2 pounds? We want a good THWACK but we need our teeth for stuff. We will fly you into Philadelphia from anywhere in the lower 48 states, and give you a city tour, and put you up in a private furnished studio apartment in Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia for up to two nights. At the Italian Market, we will work with you to select the perfect fish. Cephalopods are okay, too. On return to set, we will film your experience of slapping one of us with a fish, and edit it into a web-ready .mp4 which we will provide you, as well as include in our behind-the-scenes episodes and on the official Season 1 DVD.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $10,000
About $10,000

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

All of the previous tiers' perks (except for Bully/FeeMaster) PLUS a credit upgrade in the show & on IMDB to Executive Producer of Season 1.

You will be an honored guest at the premiere screening in Philadelphia and you will receive airfare and accommodation included for one person (lower 48 states). You have a standing invitation to appear at any and all screenings, awards presentations, and festival events. You are welcome to visit the set during filming, attend rehearsals, and contact us regularly regarding updates to the show as the season progresses. (Airfare and accommodations not included for anything except for the premiere.) Welcome to the team!